Haley: KC record covers the warts

The Associated Press

Saturday

Sep 25, 2010 at 3:29 PM

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Question his use of running backs and Todd Haley fires back with a question of his own.

"What's our record?"

It's 2-0, as Kansas City's combative head coach knows well, a stunning turnaround from last year's 0-2 start. Against San Francisco at noon on Sunday the Chiefs will seek to validate their march toward respectability by going 3-0 for the first time since 2003.

So Haley and his staff must be doing something right.

But how, ask many fans and critics, can they let the accomplished but aging Thomas Jones share carries with young Jamaal Charles, who possesses rare game-breaking speed?

Charles, who broke a 56-yard run against San Diego for the team's only touchdown rushing, is averaging 6.4 yards per carry. He's one of the fastest backs in the NFL.

Jones, 32, is averaging 3.7. But in two games, Jones has 33 carries and Charles 22.

It's not as though Charles is unproven, his fans plead. After troublesome Larry Johnson finally was benched and then released last year, the former Texas Longhorn had a breakout season with 1,120 yards rushing. His 968 yards over the final eight games exceeded everybody in the NFL but Tennessee's Chris Johnson, the offensive player of the year.

Nevertheless, the Chiefs signed Jones as a free agent in the offseason. And the 49ers would be smart to plan on seeing both the older, rugged guy and the younger, faster guy carry the ball roughly the same number of times.

If it's a dilemma for anybody, it's a dilemma for the opponent, Haley insists.

"It is in no way a problem for us. So far, through two games in the first quarter of the season, I would grade us as being successful. We've got to utilize the weapons we have and those guys are both weapons," Haley said.

There's no way to argue the running game is in good shape. With Matt Cassel sputtering at quarterback, it's the only part of the offense that's shown consistency.

The 49ers (0-2) have allowed an average of less than 64 yards rushing their first two games. But at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday, they'll face a rushing attack that ranks third in the AFC with 137.5 yards per game.

"One of our deeper positions is running back," Haley said. "That means we've got a couple of real good players in my opinion, maybe three and maybe four. We'll see as we go forward. Some way we need to figure a way for them to contribute."

Speaking of yards rushing, a rising concern with the 49ers is quarterback Alex Smith's "happy feet." Smith, who led the 49ers on four drives of 80 or more yards Monday night, is the team's No. 2 rusher behind Frank Gore with four carries for 28 yards.

"Obviously, I don't get excited about him running with the ball," said coach Mike Singletary. "I mean, that's why we have Frank Gore. If he can take off and get some positive yards and without getting banged up, then I'm all for it, but he just has to make great decisions."

The 49ers will be out to avoid starting 0-3 for the first time since the 2004 team started 0-4. But with Smith making plays, the 49ers gained 417 total yards in the three-point loss to the Saints, their most in almost four years.

"You know, certainly when the opportunity presents itself to run I would like to run," Smith said. "But just as much of that, using your legs ... it can be escaping pressure to throw a ball away, it can be escaping pressure to get out and keep your eyes downfield to complete a pass just as much as getting the yardage with your legs. I think if I was ever to roll out and I saw an opportunity to run, I'd take it."

A quarterback scramble, Smith figures, is pure instinct.

"You drop back in the pocket and all of a sudden, if there's pressure or a lane opens, you take off and go," he said. "It's not something you can do presnap or decide going into the game, 'Hey I'm going to run a lot this game.' I think if you do that, you'll get yourself into trouble."

While fans may not like the way the Chiefs keep running Charles and Jones almost equally, Derrick Johnson figures opposing defenses must like it even less.

"Having two running backs like we have, an experienced guy, a hard runner like Thomas, and a speedy breakaway guy like Jamaal makes it hard on the defense," the linebacker said. "It changes tempo. You can't get a good read on the running back, the way he's making his cuts. When you've got one going in, one going out, it's very hard to get a bead on them.

"Certain plays, you have one in there and you're thinking, 'OK, he likes to do this, he likes to keep it wide, he likes to bounce it. He likes to keep it tighter.'

"It can get confusing."

It is to many Chiefs fans, all right.

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